SOLUTIONS: ONE-SIDED AND TWO-SIDED LIMIT PROBLEMS

1. Evaluate the one-sided limits below.

a) i) lim |x 2| ii) lim+ |x 2|

x2 x2

i) As x approaches 2 from the left, it must be true that x < 2. We further obtain x 2 < 0 by
subtracting 2 from both sides of the inequality. The absolute value |x 2| is therefore equal to
(x 2) for x < 2. Evaluating the limit yields lim |x 2| = lim (2 x) = 2 2 = 0.
x2 x2

ii) Approaching x from the right of 2, we know that x > 2. This gives x 2 > 0 so |x 2| = x 2.
Hence lim+ |x 2| = lim+ (x 2) = 2 2 = 0
x2 x2

b) i) lim x2 1 ii) Why do we not evaluate lim + x2 1 ?
x1 x1

2 2
i) Check: if x < 1, then
q x > 1. It follows that x 1 > 0 and so the square root is defined.

Thus lim x2 1 = (1)2 1 = 0 .
x1

ii) When x > 1 and x is sufficiently close to 1 (e.g. x < 1), x + 1 > 0 and x 1 < 0. It follows
that x2 1 = (x + 1)(x 1) < 0. Taking this limit would require us to consider the square root
of negative numbers, an operation that we have not defined. (Search sqrt(x^2-1) in Google to
generate a graph of the function.)

s s
3 x3 4x2 + 3x 3 x3 4x2 + 3x
c) i) lim ii) lim+
x1 x2 2x + 2 x1 x2 2x + 2

The cube root of any real number is defined, so there is no need to consider whether or not the
term inside the root is negative. Thus
s s s
3 x3 4x2 + 3x 3 x3 4x2 + 3x 3 13 4 12 + 3 1
lim = lim+ = = 0.
x1 x2 2x + 2 x1 x2 2x + 2 12 2 1 + 2

1
2. Compute the following limits:

a)lim (|x 2| + x)5

x2

= (0 + 2)5 ( lim |x 2| = 0 from 1a)

x2

= 32
x2 9
b) lim
x3 x2 8x + 15

(x + 3)(x 3)
= lim
x3 (x 5)(x 3)

x+3
= lim
x3 x 5

3+3
=
35
= 3

x+11
c) lim
x0 x

( x + 1 1)( x + 1 + 1)
= lim
x0 x( x + 1 + 1)
x+11
= lim
x0 x( x + 1 + 1)

1
= lim
x0 x+1+1
1
=
0+1+1
1
=
2
x1
d) lim
x1 2x 1 1

(x 1)( 2x 1 + 1)
= lim
x1 ( 2x 1 1)( 2x 1 + 1)

(x 1)( 2x 1 + 1)
= lim
x1 2x 1 1

2

2x 1 + 1
= lim
x1 2

211+1
= lim
x1 2
=1

3. Find the values of the parameters a and b such that the function

(2x + a)3 , if x < 0
f (x) = 5bx + 8, if 0 x < 1
2
x + 12, if x 1

is continuous at all the points in its domain.

We know polynomial functions are continuous. Hence, the only points at which discontinuities can
occur are the points where pieces of f (x) join. That is, the pieces of f (x) must connect at x = 0
and x = 1. This requires the left-hand and right-hand limits of f (x) to be equal. We begin by
evaluating these limits:

lim f (x) = lim (2x + a)3 = (2 0 + a)3 = a3

x0 x0
lim+ f (x) = lim+ (5bx + 8) = 5b 0 + 8 = 8
x0 x0
lim f (x) = lim (5bx + 8) = 5b 1 + 8 = 5b + 8
x1 x1
lim+ f (x) = lim+ (x2 + 12) = 12 + 12 = 13
x1 x1

Letting lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) and lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) gives a3 = 8 and 5b + 8 = 13, which
x0 x0 x1 x1
solves to a = 2 and b = 1.